Machine room less elevator
Machine Room Less Elevators (usually shortened to as M.R.L. or MRL) is a type of traction elevators which doesn't have a machine room on the top of the hoistway. Design M.R.L. elevators do not have a fixed machine room on the top hoistway, instead the traction hoisting machine is installed either on the top side wall of the hoistway or on the bottom of the hoistway. The motor is installed using a permanent magnet which "sticks" the motor permanently and work with Variable Voltage Variable Frequency (VVVF) drive. Some of the hoisting machines are using gearless synchronous motors instead conventional induction motors. This design eliminates the need of a fixed machine room and thus saves much building's space. While the hoisting motor is installed on the hoistway side wall, the main controller is installed on the top floor next to the landing doors. This controller is situated behind a locked cabinet which have to be unlocked using a key for maintenance, repair or emergency purposes. Most elevators have their controller installed on the top floor but fewer elevators have their controller installed on the bottom-most floor. Some elevators (like those in Japan) may have the hoisting motor located on the bottom of the elevator shaft put, thus it is called as "bottom drive M.R.L." elevator. Some elevators (like OTIS and Schindler) have the controller cabinet installed within the door frame instead on the wall to save space. Like normal traction elevators, M.R.L. elevators uses the conventional steel cord ropes used as the hoisting cables. Some elevator brands (such as Otis, Schindler and ThyssenKrupp) are using flat steel rope belts instead of conventional ropes. Manufacturers using these technology claimed that with flat steel belt ropes, it saves much space on the hoistway and to allow a minimun size of the hoisting sheave. With flat steel belts also allows 30% lighter than conventional steel ropes. Most M.R.L. elevators are used for low to mid rise buildings. M.R.L. elevators in mid-rise buildings typically serves up to 20 floors. History The idea for a machine room less elevator was first pioneered by the Finnish-based elevator manufacturer Kone. Kone launched its first M.R.L. elevator product line "MonoSpace Elevator" along with its signature hositing machine "EcoDisc" (the motor is shaped of a big green round disk). Soon, many rival companies began to make their own M.R.L. products due to the popularity of Kone's MonoSpace elevator. In 1998, Toshiba launched its first M.R.L. products "SPACEL-UNI" under a partnership by Kone (Another product called "Order-Spacel" is based off "EcoDisc"). Also, in 1999, Mitsubishi invented a bottom drive M.R.L. elevator called "GPQ" series, which the hosting motor is located on the elevator pit.GPQ series M.R.L. elevator overview Nowadays they make M.R.L. elevator called "Elenessa" for both Asia and Europe, which the hosting motor location is adjustable in the shaft. The Elenessa product line was first introduced in 2001 to replaced its previous GPQ product line.Elenessa M.R.L. elevator overview Otis launched its M.R.L. elevator product Gen2 in 2000. Unlike most products, the Gen2 elevator uses flat steel rope belts instead of conventional steel ropes. In 2004, ThyssenKrupp introduced its first M.R.L elevator, named ISIS, which uses Kevlar belts. However, this product was discontinued after the Seattle children's hospital incident and was replaced by a new M.R.L elevator in 2008 named Synergy. Benefits and Detriments of M.R.L. Elevators Benefits *Saves building space, as it doesn't require space for a machine room. *Saves building electricity for up to 70%. *Uses no oil (thus eliminates the risk of fire). *Slightly lower cost than other types of elevators (because the Variable Voltage Variable Frequency (VVVF) drive).hkelev - Elevator work with Variable Voltage Variable Frequency (VVVF) drive Detriments *No code has been approved for the installation of residential elevators. *Loud high frequency sounding when the elevator is running (because the Variable Voltage Variable Frequency (VVVF) drive). *Life expectancy of MRL elevators is lower compared to normal elevators. *Equipment may be harder to maintain. Notable M.R.L. Products For a complete list of notable M.R.L. products, please refer to: List of Machine Room Less Elevator Products Fujitec *Belta *ML-GS - only for Germany and United Kingdom *Viridian - only for in the United States. *XIOR - only for in Japan. Hitachi *OUG *UAG Hyundai *YZER Kone *MonoSpace (1996 - present) *EcoSpace (2007 - present) - only for United States. *TranSys - MRL freight elevators. *MaxiSpace - the first MRL elevator without counterweight but counterweight option provided. Mitsubishi *GPQ (1999 - ??) *Elenessa (?? - present) *NEXIEZ-MRL (2012 - present) *DiamondTrac - only for United States. Otis *Gen2 (2000 - present) *HydroFit (2011 - present) - machine room less hydraulic elevators. Schindler *SchindlerMobile (1997 - 2001) - Schindler's first MRL elevator, with destination dispatch-like control system. *Smart001 (1998 - 2001) *Smart002 (1998 - 2001) *EuroLift (2001 - 2011) - discontinued *300 J - only for Japan *300 P - for Asia Pacific *400A - for United States *2400 - primarily for modernization. *3100 - primarily for modernization. *3300 and 3300 AP (2009 - present) *5300 - primarily for modernization. *5400 - discontinued *5400 AP (mid-2000s - present) - successor of the 5400 and are mostly found in Asia. *5500 (2013 - present) - successor of 3300. *6300 - primarily for modernization. Sigma *Solon *IRIS - Gen2 version of Sigma. ThyssenKrupp *Synergy (2001 - present) *Evolution *ISIS (?? - 2007) - only for United States, discontinued due to accident. *TIME - only found in Canada. Short for ThyssenKrupp Northern Integrated Machine Room Less Elevator. Toshiba *SPACEL (1998 - present) *SPACEL-UNI or GR - only for Japan. *SPACEL-III (2012 - present) - for countries outside Japan. *Order Spacel - Kone MonoSpace MRL sold in Japan. *Oracle - only sold in Malaysia. Incident In 2006, one of the ThyssenKrupp ISIS elevators in Seattle's children hospital had its Kevlar ropes snap due to overheating. The elevator car fell from the 7th floor to the 3rd floor and came to a complete stop after the emergency brake engaged. No one was injuried. The elevators were taken out of service a few days later for an inspection by the police. Trivia *The U.S. was slow to accept M.R.L. elevators because of elevator codes. *In the United States, all M.R.L. elevators have their controller located at a small fixed room which houses the controller inside (instead of installed next to the either top floor or bottom floor landing doors). *After the machine room less elevator products was launched, a mini machine room elevator (or sometimes called "compact machine room elevator") products has been launched and just simply to put the machine room less elevator hoisting motor and equipments into a small machine roomhkelev - Machine Room Less Elevator (like EcoDisc). *It is possible for a destination dispatch system to be implemented on MRL elevators, normally for low to mid-rise installations. *The highest machine room less elevators are in Ming Wah Dai Ha Block G and the lift tower in Choi Hei Road Park. Which both shaft can serve 15 storey (the lift tower in Choi Hei Road Park serve only 3 floors but the height of the shaft make them can serve like 15 storey of the Public Housing Estate Blocks just beside the lift tower). Both are Kone MonoSpace. Gallery MRL controller cabinets Kone_EcoDisc top landing.jpg|At the top floor, usually there is a control panel to contain all the circuit board in one cabinet. Kone_EcoDisc@Hong Kong Central Library Footbridge.jpg|Machine Room Less elevator will make easier to meet the requirement for the disabled. KONE_EcoDisc_Control_Panel.jpg|Kone MonoSpace control cabinet on top floor. IMG_0595.jpg|Schindler 3300 AP MRL cabinet installed within the door frame (left side). IMG 0911.JPG|Kone MonoSpace (Bali, Indonesia). IMG_0924.JPG|Schindler 5400 AP elevator (Bali, Indonesia). Hyundai MRL elevator.JPG|Hyundai YZER MRL cabinet on top floor (left). Signs Schindler MRL Sign.jpg|Another reminder to remind passengers that is a M.R.L. elevator with control panel location (Schindler). Kone MonoSpace sticker.jpg|Kone MonoSpace sticker in Hong Kong, China. KONE EcoDisc Plate.jpg|Another Kone EcoDisc logo. KONE EcoDisc Logo.jpg|Kone EcoDisc logo mounted with KSS 520 fixtures. Hoisting Motors KONE EcoDisc.jpg|Kone EcoDisc hoisting machine Kone EcoDisc.jpg|Kone EcoDisc hoisting machine IMG 0982.JPG|Sigma Solon M.R.L. hoisting motor Hyundai YZER M.R.L. Drive.jpg|Hyundai YZER permanent magnet motor Schindler 5400 AP M.R.L. Motor.jpg|Schindler 5400 AP motor in Jakarta, Indonesia Otis Gen2 motor (Apple Store Causeway Bay).jpg|Otis Gen2 motor. Mitsubishi Elenessa MRL motor.jpg|Mitsubishi Elenessa motor. Mitsubishi M.R.L. motor basement drive.jpg|Mitsubishi Elepaq (or Elenessa) motor located on the elevator bottom pit in Tokyo, Japan. This one is a bottom-drive M.R.L. elevator. Fujitec Belta motor.jpg|Fujitec Belta hoisting motor TK Synergy motor.jpg|ThyssenKrupp Synergy motor in Manchester, England (credit: Beno). References *